Eating Disorders

1. Eating Disorders If you are getting any ideas from this power point, know that this is a red flag and you need to talk to someone.

2. What are they? • Extreme eating behaviors that can lead to serious illness or even death. • Anorexia Nervosa • Bulimia Nervosa • Binge-Eating

3. Who has them? It is estimated that 8 million Americans have an eating disorder – seven million women and one million men. One in 200 American women suffers from anorexia

4. Eating Disorders and teens Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents. 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25

5. 50% of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight 80% of 13-year-olds have attempted to lose weight

6. Two to three in 100 American women suffers from bulimia Nearly half of all Americans personally know someone with an eating disorder An estimated 10 – 15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are males

7. Anorexia Nervosa Eating disorder in which a person has an intense fear of weight gain and starves themselves.

8. Anorexic appearance and body image signs and symptoms • Dramatic weight loss– Rapid, drastic weight loss with no medical cause. • Feeling fat, despite being underweight– You may feel overweight in general or just “too fat” in certain places such as the stomach, hips, or thighs. • Fixation on body image– Obsessed with weight, body shape, or clothing size. Frequent weigh-ins and concern over tiny fluctuations in weight. • Harshly critical of appearance– Spending a lot of time in front of the mirror checking for flaws. There’s always something to criticize. You’re never thin enough. • Denial that you’re too thin – You may deny that your low body weight is a problem, while trying to conceal it (drinking a lot of water before being weighed, wearing baggy or oversized clothes).

9. Symptoms Perfectionist Exercise a lot Vomiting Laxative usage Caloric restriction Distorted body image Dieting despite being thin Obsession with calories, fat grams, and nutrition Pretending to eat or lying about eating Preoccupation with food Strange or secretive food rituals

10. Some of the physical effects of anorexia include: • Severe mood swings; depression • Lack of energy and weakness • Slowed thinking; poor memory • Dry, yellowish skin and brittle nails • Muscle loss • Heart disease • Constipation and bloating • Tooth decay and gum damage • Dizziness, fainting, and headaches • Growth of fine hair (downy) all over the body and face • Lowered bone density

11. More Symptoms • Weigh themselves a lot • Lose hair • Cracked fingernails • Sunken cheeks and eyes • Blood pressure drops

12. Effects of anorexia

13. More information on Anorexia One thing is certain about anorexia. Severe calorie restriction has dire physical effects. When your body doesn’t get the fuel it needs to function normally, it goes into starvation mode and slows down to conserve energy. Essentially, your body begins to consume itself. If self-starvation continues and more body fat is lost, medical complications pile up and your body and mind pay the price.

14. Anorexia is not always about Weight or Food Believe it or not, anorexia isn’t really about food and weight—at least not at its core. Eating disorders are much more complicated than that. The food and weight-related issues are symptoms of something deeper: things like depression, loneliness, insecurity, pressure to be perfect, or feeling out of control. Things that no amount of dieting or weight loss can cure.

15. Treating anorexia involves three steps • Getting back to a healthy weight • Starting to eat more food • Changing how you think about yourself and food

16. Tips for helping a person with anorexia • Think of yourself as an “outsider.” In other words, someone not suffering from anorexia. In this position, there isn’t a lot you can do to “solve” your loved one’s anorexia. It is ultimately the individual’s choice to decide when they are ready. • Be a role model for healthy eating, exercising, and body image. Don’t make negative comments about your own body or anyone else’s. • Take care of yourself.Seek advice from a health professional, even if your friend or family member won’t. And you can bring others—from peers to parents—into the circle of support. • Don’t act like the food police. A person with anorexia needs compassion and support, not an authority figure standing over the table with a calorie counter. • Avoid threats, scare tactics, angry outbursts, and put-downs.Bear in mind that anorexia is often a symptom of extreme emotional distress and develops out of an attempt to manage emotional pain, stress, and/or self-hate. Negative communication will only make it worse.

17. Bulimia Nervosa • Eating disorder in which a person repeatedly eats large amounts of food then purges. • Binge and purge • During an average binge, you may consume from 3,000 to 5,000 calories in one short hour. • After it ends, panic sets in and you turn to drastic measures to “undo” the binge • Usually at a normal weight, but still feels the need to go on an extreme diet.

18. Binge eating signs and symptoms • Lack of control over eating – Inability to stop eating. Eating until the point of physical discomfort and pain. • Secrecy surrounding eating– Going to the kitchen after everyone else has gone to bed. Going out alone on unexpected food runs. Wanting to eat in privacy. • Eating unusually large amounts of foodwith no obvious change in weight. • Disappearance of food, numerous empty wrappers or food containers in the garbage, or hidden stashes of junk food. • Alternating between overeating and fasting– Rarely eats normal meals. It’s all-or-nothing when it comes to food.

19. Purging signs and symptoms • Going to the bathroom after meals– Frequently disappears after meals or takes a trip to the bathroom to throw up. May run the water to disguise sounds of vomiting. • Using laxatives, diuretics, or enemasafter eating. May also take diet pills to curb appetite or use the sauna to “sweat out” water weight. • Smell of vomit– The bathroom or the person may smell like vomit. They may try to cover up the smell with mouthwash, perfume, air freshener, gum, or mints. • Excessive exercising– Works out strenuously, especially after eating. Typical activities include high-intensity calorie burners such as running or aerobics.

20. Effects of bulimia When you are living with bulimia, you are putting your body—and even your life—at risk. The most dangerous side effect of bulimia is dehydration due to purging. Vomiting, laxatives, and diuretics can cause electrolyte imbalances in the body, most commonly in the form of low potassium levels. Low potassium levels trigger a wide range of symptoms ranging from lethargy and cloudy thinking to irregular heartbeat and death. Chronically low levels of potassium can also result in kidney failure

21. Other common medical complications and adverse effects of bulimia include • Weight gain • Abdominal pain, bloating • Swelling of the hands and feet • Chronic sore throat, hoarseness • Broken blood vessels in the eyes • Swollen cheeks and salivary glands • Weakness and dizziness • Tooth decay and mouth sores • Acid reflux or ulcers • Ruptured stomach or esophagus • Loss of menstrual periods • Chronic constipation from laxative abuse

22. Physical signs and symptoms of bulimia • Calluses or scars on the knuckles or handsfrom sticking fingers down the throat to induce vomiting. • Puffy “chipmunk” cheekscaused by repeated vomiting. • Discolored teethfrom exposure to stomach acid when throwing up. May look yellow, ragged, or clear. • Not underweight– Men and women with bulimia are usually normal weight or slightly overweight. Being underweight while purging might indicate a purging type of anorexia. • Frequent fluctuations in weight– Weight may fluctuate by 10 pounds or more due to alternating episodes of bingeing and purging.

23. Symptoms • Eat extremely large amounts of food • Binges • Compulsive exerciser • Vomits • Bad breath • Rough throat

24. More Symptoms • Hoarding food- mattress, closets, walls, suitcases • Use of laxatives • Overly concerned about body weight • Depressed • Colon, liver, and kidneys may be damaged • Stomach and esophagus can also be damaged • Dehydration • Heart damage • Expensive Habit

26. Bulimia causes and risk factors • One thing is certain. Bulimia is a complex emotional issue. Major causes and risk factors for bulimia include: • Poor body image: Our culture’s emphasis on thinness and beauty can lead to body dissatisfaction, particularly in young women bombarded with media images of an unrealistic physical ideal. • Low self-esteem:Women or men who think of themselves as useless, worthless, and unattractive are at risk for bulimia. Things that can contribute to low self-esteem include depression, perfectionism, childhood abuse, and a critical home environment. • History of trauma or abuse:Women with bulimia appear to have a higher incidence of sexual abuse. People with bulimia are also more likely than average to have parents with a substance abuse problem or psychological disorder. • Major life changes:Bulimia is often triggered by stressful changes or transitions, such as the physical changes of puberty, going away to college, or the breakup of a relationship. Binging and purging may be a negative way to cope with the stress. • Appearance-oriented professions or activities: People who face tremendous image pressure are vulnerable to developing bulimia. Those at risk include ballet dancers, models, gymnasts, wrestlers, runners, and actors.

27. Steps to bulimia recovery • Admit you have a problem. Up until now, you’ve been invested in the idea that life will be better—that you’ll finally feel good—if you lose more weight and control what you eat. The first step in bulimia recovery is admitting that your relationship to food is distorted and out of control. • Talk to someone. It can be hard to talk about what you’re going through, especially if you’ve kept your bulimia a secret for a long time. You may be ashamed, ambivalent, or afraid of what others will think. But it’s important to understand that you’re not alone. Find a good listener—someone who will support you as you try to get better. • Stay away from people, places, and activities that trigger the temptation to binge or purge.You may need to avoid looking at fashion or fitness magazines, spend less time with friends who constantly diet and talk about losing weight, and stay away from weight loss web sites and “pro-mia” sites that promote bulimia. You may also need to be careful when it comes to meal planning and cooking magazines and shows. • Seek professional help.The advice and support of trained eating disorder professionals can help you regain your health, learn to eat normally again, and develop healthier attitudes about food and your body

28. If your loved one has bulimia • Offer compassion and support.Keep in mind that the person may get defensive or angry. But if he or she does open up, listen without judgment and make sure the person knows you care. • Avoid insults, scare tactics, guilt trips, and patronizing comments.Since bulimia is often caused and exacerbated by stress, low self-esteem, and shame, negativity will only make it worse. • Set a good example for healthy eating, exercising, and body image. Don’t make negative comments about your own body or anyone else’s. • Accept your limits. As a parent or friend, there isn’t a lot you can do to “fix” your loved one’s bulimia. The person with bulimia must make the decision to move forward. • Take care of yourself. Know when to seek advice for yourself from a counselor or health professional. Dealing with an eating disorder is stressful, and it will help if you have your own support system in place.

29. Binge Eating Disorder in which a person repeatedly eats too much food at one time. Compulsive overeating. THEY DO NOT PURGE!

30. Behavioral Symptoms • Inability to stop eating or control what you’re eating • Rapidly eating large amounts of food • Eating even when you’re full • Hiding or stockpiling food to eat later in secret • Eating normally around others, but gorging when you’re alone • Eating continuously throughout the day, with no planned mealtimes • Feeling extremely distressed or upset during or after bingeing. • Unlike bulimia, there are no regular attempts to “make up” for the binges through vomiting, fasting, or over-exercising.

31. Emotional Symptoms • Feeling tension that is only relieved by eating • Embarrassment over how much you’re eating • Feeling numb while bingeing—like you’re not really there or you’re on auto-pilot. • Never feeling satisfied, no matter how much you eat • Feeling guilty, disgusted, or depressed after overeating • Desperation to control weight and eating habits

32. Effects of Binge-Eating Vitamin Deficiency- binge typically on high sugar/fatty foods Heart Disease Diabetes Bone and Joint problems Fatigue Hypertension Guilt/Shame Depression

33. Obesity and binge eatingOver time, compulsive overeating usually leads to obesity. Obesity, in turn, causes numerous medical complications, including: • Type 2 diabetes • Gallbladder disease • High cholesterol • High blood pressure • Heart disease • Certain types of cancer • Osteoarthritis • Joint and muscle pain • Gastrointestinal problems • Sleep apnea

34. 10 strategies for overcoming binge eating • Manage stress. • Eat 3 meals a day plus healthy snacks. • Avoid temptation. • Stop dieting • Exercise • Fight boredom. • Get enough sleep • Listen to your body. • Keep a food diary. • Get support.

35. Helping someone with binge eating disorder • Encourage him or her to seek help. • Be supportive. • Avoid insults, lectures, or guilt trips. • Set a good example • Take care of yourself.

36. Losing weight • Don’t lose more than 2 pounds per week • Avoid taking in more calories than you burn • Avoid fried foods • Eat smaller servings • DON’T SKIP MEALS • Drink lots of water • Decrease sugar intake • Aerobic type exercises

37. Gaining weight • Eat large servings of nutritious food • Eat foods high in complex carbs • Weight lift to build muscles • Eat healthy snacks between meals

38. The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15 – 24 years old. • 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems • Brain actually shrinks during this time of starvation due to chemical reactions.

39. Why teens develop eating disorders • The exact cause of eating disorders — such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder — is unknown. However, various factors might put teens at risk of developing eating disorders. • Societal pressure. • Low self-esteem. • Favorite activities. • Personal factors

40. Early consequences of teen eating disorders At first, teen eating disorders can cause signs and symptoms such as: Dizziness Fatigue Weakness Constipation Irritability Difficulty concentrating Trouble sleeping For girls, menstrual irregularities

41. Later consequences of teen eating disorders Eventually, teen eating disorders can cause more-serious or even life-threatening health problems, including: Muscle wasting Thinning hair Bone loss Tooth decay Delayed growth and development Anemia Digestive problems Heart problems Seizures Depression, which can spiral to suicidal thoughts or behavior

42. What to do if you suspect a friend has an eating disorder • Tell an adult • Tell a counselor • Convince them to get help • Be their friend • Help them work through it • Be patient with them • Model good behavior – go with them to the bathroom • Intervene without talking about it